Poised on the Edge of the Future
by idle curiosity
Summary: A drabble-ish look at that moment between the end of ten long years and the beginning of the future.


I don't own the characters. They belong to Disney, etal.

A drabble-ish look at that moment between the end of ten long years, and the start of the future, from an Elizabeth pov.

She walks through the grasses that blanket the cliffs high above the sheltered bay; the tall, reedy stalks move with the wind, much like the waves of the sea that now fill her vision. The sun hangs low over the horizon, the last of its light a rich, golden hue, one that speaks to the remembrances of her heart. Many were the times that she'd come to these cliffs at sunset, looking out over the wide expanse of ocean, yearning for this one particular day.

She tries to calm the fluttering of the butterflies that have taken up residence in her belly. Her hands are trembling a bit with nervous anticipation, and she thrusts them into the pockets of her skirt. She moistens her lips and reminds herself to breathe. Just breathe.

Elizabeth smiles as she watches William skip on ahead of her, singing the shanty she'd taught him so long ago.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me," the words float back to her on the cool breeze in his high, pure voice.

She moves to stand next to her son, who has come to a halt and is now watching the horizon intently. Her arm goes around him, pulling him to her, and he looks up at her and smiles, excitement dancing in the dark eyes that are so like his father's. He then turns his gaze back to await the last flicker of sunset.

Moments later, Elizabeth feels his thin shoulders tense at the flash of green, and a secret smile graces her face. This is the rarity that few have ever witnessed, the signal of a soul returning from the dead.

William's eyes widen at the sight of the _Flying Dutchman _as she sails into the quiet bay. With the appearance of the mythic ship, every story that Elizabeth has ever told him is confirmed. Seeing, after all, is believing. And those stories now move from being almost fables, told at bedtime, to the realm of pure, solid truth. She can feel his quick intake of breath, a slight gasp of awe, and he turns his face up to hers again, his smile bright and joyous.

There is a silent question in his eyes, and she knows what it is. Elizabeth nods her head in the direction of his father's ship.

"Go," she urges, and William is off like a shot out of a musket. He bounds through the tall grass, as graceful as a young deer, racing down the dirt path that leads to the shore.

Elizabeth continues to stand at the end of the cliffs, poised on the edge of her future. Her gaze sweeps over every inch of the _Flying Dutchman, _searching, straining for the first glimpse of the man she's waited ten years to see again. Her heart pounds furiously in her breast. When Elizabeth spots him, she's transfixed at the sight of her husband leaping onto the ship's rail to lean out as far as he can, hand tangled in the rigging. She can read his eagerness from here.

"Will," she whispers, as a shimmer of tears blurs her vision. Elizabeth pulls her hands from her pockets, and quickly brushes them away. And then she's running, skirts held high, skimming down the path, crying out his name.

When she reaches the beach, she can see Will already kneeling in the sand and hugging William close. Elizabeth skids to a stop within an arm's reach of them, breathing hard. The sudden rush of emotion at seeing her two men together for the first time has her raising her hands to her mouth, her eyes brimming, her chest tight. She doesn't know how her heart can contain her joy. Will lifts his head to gaze up at her, tears streaming down his face, and he holds out his arm in an unspoken plea.

Elizabeth takes that last step, and falls to her knees, burying herself in Will's embrace. She turns her face into the warmth of his throat, breathing in his scent, still familiar after all this time. She feels him shudder as her lips brush over the heated skin there, her first caress in a decade.

"Elizabeth," she hears him whisper raggedly. "I've missed you so."

This is the moment she's yearned for, waited for, and counted down years and days and hours and minutes for. She holds tightly to her husband and their son, and all of her life is at last resting in her arms. For the first time, everything is right. Will is home and, after ten years, she is finally fully content.


End file.
